I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 567 The Tree Fell Down
The clamor of battle gradually subsided, leaving only the lingering sound of the chainsaw sword's engine shutting down, the suppressed groans of the wounded, and the faint sounds of soldiers cleaning up the battlefield.

The air was filled with the burnt smell of arcane remnants, the sulfurous stench of demon blood, and an overwhelming stench of blood.

Xiao Dao flicked the chainsaw sword to shake off the blood, then looked down at the mangled corpse of the six-armed serpent demon on the ground and nodded in satisfaction.

"He is a good opponent."

Alright, guys, we have to go. Time is tight and the mission is important!

The order was given, and the team quickly packed their things and set off again. The heavy, orderly footsteps rang out once more as the players, carrying flintlock rifles on their shoulders, marched through the broken streets and burning ruins toward the World Tree.

Meanwhile, the Elf Ranger who had helped the Overlord Tigers quietly followed behind Little Knife.

Little Knife glanced back at the elf but ignored him... This was the long-eared elf's territory, so let him follow if he wanted, as long as he didn't get in the way.

Heavy, orderly footsteps echoed through the shattered streets as the procession moved silently through the smoke and ruins.

The elven ranger followed closely behind Little Knife's backside. After observing this disciplined yet strangely eccentric human group for a while, he finally couldn't resist any longer.

He quickened his pace, walking side by side with Xiao Daozha, his clear voice breaking the silence of the march.

"Foreign warriors, your bravery is impressive, but what is your goal now, at a time like this?"

Aither's voice was calm. He wanted to figure out the intentions of these strangely equipped, fearless humans, as this would determine his next move.

He didn't even turn his head when the knife stabbed his butt.

"We received orders to observe the World Tree up close and confirm that it is fine and has not been corrupted by demons."

Ethel frowned slightly; the answer was too general.

"There is nothing wrong with the World Tree, Tear of the Sky; we have protected it very well."

"That's none of my business. My job is to bring people closer to it and make sure it's okay with my own eyes."

"The kingdom guards will not let you in."

"We won't go in; I'll complete my mission once I get outside."

Xiao Dao stabbed his buttocks before turning his head away. The glass goggles on his gas mask reflected the faint light emanating from the World Tree in the distance, obscuring his eyes, but his tone carried an undeniable firmness.

This attitude puzzled Aether, but it also somewhat reduced their hostility... at least their immediate goal seemed to align with protecting the World Tree, though their motives remained a mystery.

The elven ranger remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the chainsaw stained with demon blood where the dagger had pierced his backside, and over the silent soldiers marching behind him. He had seen the resolute determination they had shown in their recent battle against the demons; perhaps this was proof that they could be trusted for the time being.

"In that case."

Ethel finally spoke, her voice softening slightly.

"The road ahead is not peaceful; the corruption of demons is everywhere. I am familiar with this area and can provide guidance for you and your team."

He did not completely lower his guard, but decided to observe first.

If these humans have truly come for the World Tree, then in this perilous time, having more strength is always a good thing.

Xiao Dao stabbed his buttocks, and simply nodded, replying with a brief comment.

"lead the way."

The group continued forward, their heavy footsteps mingling with the light steps of the elves, silently and resolutely marching towards the colossal tree that supported the heavens and the earth, along a path strewn with thorns and dangers.

Under the guidance of the elven ranger Aether, the team's travel efficiency improved significantly.

He knew every broken path well, knew how to avoid areas heavily corrupted by fel energy that might harbor more demons, and could also provide early warnings of unstable magical traps or naturally formed dangerous rifts.

The surrounding scenery became increasingly eerie.

The closer one gets to the World Tree "Tears of the Sky," the more closely the wounds of war and the magnificence of nature intertwine.

Strange, fluorescent flowers may bloom beside burning houses, and ancient tree roots, still glowing with the green light of life, may entwine the torn earth. The acrid smell of arcane magic in the air mingles with the refreshing scent of the World Tree, creating a contradictory and unsettling atmosphere.

“We are traversing what was once the Whispering Garden, but now… all that remains is its wailing.”

Aither pointed to an area that had once been carefully tended but was now covered with scorch marks and twisted thorns, her voice tinged with undisguised sorrow.

His keen eyes swept over a cluster of unusually brightly colored mushrooms that exuded a rotten, sweet odor.

“Avoid that area; those spores can cause deadly hallucinations.”

The troops silently carried out their orders, the soldiers holding flintlock rifles warily, their eyes scanning every shadowy corner and twisted plant.

Little Knife Stabbing Buttocks, on the other hand, always kept most of his attention on the World Tree in the distance, as if he were measuring the distance or confirming some kind of beacon that only he could understand.

Suddenly, Aither raised his hand, signaling the group to halt. He listened intently to the faint sounds carried on the wind, his expression turning serious.

"There's some noise ahead..."

Xiao Daozai immediately made a fighting gesture, and the soldiers behind him silently dispersed to find cover, while the hammer of the flintlock pistol was quietly raised.

"Can we go around it?"

Xiao Dao's voice came through the mask, sounding somewhat muffled.

Aither shook her head.

"Then run it over."

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Dao stabbed Xiao Shi's buttocks; the chainsaw sword's engine emitted a deep roar, like a wild beast poised to pounce.

Ethel turned and gave Little Knife a deep look.

"Follow me, and stay alert."

Under his leadership, the team advanced quickly and quietly.

After passing through the ruins of a collapsed archway carved with moon and star patterns, the view suddenly opened up.

It was a relatively open square, which should have been the place where the elves held ceremonies, but now it had become a bloody battlefield.

A dozen or so elven guards are struggling to hold on, clinging to a broken statue of the moon goddess and several sections of crumbling wall.

Their opponents were dozens of bizarre creatures... They were humanoid constructs haphazardly pieced together from rotting plants, soil, and some kind of dark metal fragments. Their movements were stiff yet incredibly strong, wielding twisted, root-like limbs that relentlessly assaulted the elves' defenses.

What's more troublesome is that the core of these constructs seems to flicker with unstable fel energy, and whenever they are hit by elven swords or arrows, they may explode in a small area, splashing out corrosive slime.

"It is blasphemy against creation!"

Ethel hissed, her voice filled with disgust.

"The demons have created cannon fodder from the polluted earth and dead plants. They are numerous and difficult to destroy completely!"

"This is simple."

The knife stabbing in the buttocks had already been replaced by a chainsaw sword.

"Prepare for volley fire... Open fire!"

The thunderous volley of flintlock muskets instantly shattered the stalemate in the square, a storm of lead bullets sweeping towards those who blasphemed creation.

No matter how troublesome it is to blaspheme creation, in the face of lead bullets, they are nothing more than targets.

No matter how accurate the elves' archery was, it couldn't withstand the volley of a hundred flintlock muskets. After only three volleys, the battle was over. The last blasphemous tiger-crouching cannon exploded into pieces on the ground under the bombardment of the final weapon.

The sudden burst of gunfire and the violent volley that instantly shattered the enemy ranks left the remaining elven guards in a state of brief shock and bewilderment.

They had prepared for a tough hand-to-hand battle, but the fight ended in such a swift and unfamiliar way.

However, when the surviving elven guards saw the human soldiers in strange uniforms carrying smoking muskets emerge from their shelters, they showed no gratitude. Instead, they immediately raised their swords and longbows, warily aiming them at Little Knife Buttocks and his men.

Several elves angrily pointed at the moon goddess statues and walls on the ground, which were charred and riddled with bullet holes from stray bullets... The stray bullets nearly hit them.

"Put down your weapons, you rude invaders!"

The elven guard captain, a silver-haired warrior in a blue robe, shouted sternly, his eyes filled with distrust and lingering fear from the stray bullets that had startled him.

"who are you?"

Ethel immediately stepped forward and opened her arms to indicate that she meant no harm.

"Calm down, Captain Alamir, these are human reinforcements. They just got us out of trouble!"

"Reinforcements?"

Captain Alamir frowned, his gaze sweeping over the blood-stained gas mask from which the knife had pierced his buttocks and the still-whirring chainsaw sword, before looking at the flintlock muskets in the soldiers' hands.

"I've never seen reinforcements like this before. Their attacks were completely inaccurate and almost injured us!"

The dagger stabbed his buttocks, and he seemed completely unconcerned about the elven swords pointed at him. He simply raised his hand to signal his soldiers to remain on guard but not to fire.

He spoke in a muffled voice through the mask.

"Our mission is to reach the World Tree. Anything blocking our path, whether it's a demon or something else, will be eliminated. Those things were blocking our way just now."

His blunt and forceful attitude intensified the hostility of the elven guards. Captain Alamir gripped his sword hilt tightly.

"How dare you humans of unknown origin, wielding dangerous weapons, approach the sacred land of the World Tree!"

Seeing that a conflict was about to break out, Ethel hurriedly interjected, his tone urgent.

“Alamir, listen to me, their objective is clear: to confirm the safety of the Tear of the Sky! I’ve been following them all the way. Although their methods are peculiar, they are indeed fighting demons. If it weren’t for them, we might have suffered heavy casualties! Now is not the time for infighting!”

The magic advisor, Polka, also stepped forward at the opportune moment, trying to ease the tension.

"Your Excellency, we are a reconnaissance force from the Kingdom of Bagnia. We understand your concerns, but please believe that we have no ill intentions on our part."

The attack method just now may have been direct, but it effectively eliminated the threat. The immediate priority is to ensure the safety of the path leading to the World Tree.

Captain Alamir looked at Aither, a respected ranger he knew, then at the human mage Polka, and finally at the group of silent yet steely-blooded human soldiers. His anger and vigilance eased slightly, but his doubts were not completely dispelled.

He remained silent for a moment, and finally, slowly lowered the sword he had raised, but his eyes remained sharp as he stared at the knife stabbing his buttocks.

"...Aitherre, I want you to know what you're doing."

He said in a deep voice, then turned to stab his buttocks with a knife.

"Humans, I can temporarily refrain from considering you enemies, but you must accept our surveillance. And your...that kind of weapon,"

He pointed to the flintlock rifle.

"It must not be used casually when near the core area of ​​the holy site, so as to avoid unforeseen damage or desecration."

Little Knife Stabbing Butt didn't answer. He just gave the elves, including Ethel, a deep look before turning and leaving.

In a subtle, tense silence, the procession continued forward.

The elven guard Alamir, along with his remaining men, hung at a distance on the flank of the dagger-stabbing team, both as a form of surveillance and a tacit escort.

The closer you get to the World Tree "Tears of the Sky," the thicker the surrounding air seems to become, filled with boundless life energy, and even the scorched earth beneath your feet begins to radiate sporadic greenery again.

Finally, they passed through the last stretch of road, protected by giant tree roots and covered with ancient runic stones, and the view opened up before them.

The World Tree, "Tears of the Sky," stands right in front of you.

It was larger than anyone could imagine, its trunk like a giant pillar supporting the heavens and the earth, its crown reaching into the clouds, and its branches and leaves flowing with a soft and pure emerald light, as if dyeing the entire sky with a layer of life.

Simply standing within its radiance instills a sense of tranquility and awe that permeates the soul. The weariness and pain of the previous battle seem to find some solace in its glow.

The magic advisor Polka was immediately drawn in. He strode to the front of the group, removed his hood, and gazed up at the magnificent tree, the crystal at the tip of his staff emitting a soft, analytical light.

He carefully sensed the flow of magic around him and discerned the energy wavelengths emitted by the World Tree.

A moment later, he turned to the knife and stabbed his buttocks, speaking with certainty.

"Commander, based on current observations, no obvious signs of demonic corruption have been found on the World Tree Tear of the Sky. Its life energy is abundant and pure. Although the outer protective barrier has been weakened, the core remains stable. Preliminary assessment indicates that the mission objective, the World Tree, is safe... Mission accomplished."

His words had barely left his lips, as if to confirm his judgment, or perhaps to announce the beginning of some far greater crisis...

"Click..."

A deafening roar, tearing through eardrums and shaking the soul, came from the high heavens without warning!
The sound wasn't thunder; it was more like an endless pane of glass or the sky itself being forcibly torn apart and shattered by some unimaginable force.

Everyone, whether human soldiers or elves, was shaken to their core by the sudden, terrifying sound and instinctively looked up at the sky.

The once clear, azure sky was suddenly ripped open by a massive, irregular black fissure. Unstable, chillingly purple lightning flickered at the edges of the crack, while its interior was a profound void so deep it swallowed all light—like a gigantic eye that had suddenly opened, filled with malice and destruction!

"The sky has cracked open!!!"

A young elven guard cried out in alarm, nearly dropping his longbow.

Captain Alamir's face turned deathly pale. The previous vigilance and arguments seemed so insignificant and laughable at this moment. He stared at the scar in the sky, his eyes filled with unbelievable fear and despair.

"No...this is impossible...the protection of the World Tree..."

Even the usually calm Aethel froze on the spot, her knuckles turning white from gripping the longbow too tightly, muttering to herself.

"The prophesied...the end?"

The elven defenders on the city walls were gripped by panic, with cries of alarm and prayers rising and falling.

The elves following the human group were equally panicked. The World Tree, which they had worshipped and relied on for generations, was now experiencing such a terrifying phenomenon in the sky above it, which shook the very foundation of their understanding.

While Xiao Daozaipigu and his players were equally shocked by this cataclysmic change, they remained calm and observed the World Tree.

"Advisor, what happened to the World Tree?"

"No problem, I don't see anything wrong with it... This is fucking weird, what's going on!"

Polka was uncertain. Knife-stabbed buttocks turned around and went to Ethel's side, grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard to wake him up.

"Answer me, what happened? What is the End of the World?"

"At the end... the World Tree fell..."

"Isn't the World Tree perfectly fine?"

"It's not the Tears of the Sky, it's the World Tree of Eternal Gathering Island..."

(End of this chapter)